Santa Maria Style Barbecue RecipesAuthentic Santa Maria Tri-Tip RecipeSanta Maria Style Pinquito Beans RecipeSimple Santa Maria Green SaladSanta Maria Salsa Recipe Book A Room If there’s one thing that brings travelers and adventurers to our valley, it’s our iconic Santa Maria Style barbecue. The reason our barbecue is treasured by taste buds around the world? Authenticity and simplicity. We use recipes that date back generations—and we know better than to mess with a good thing. Fortunately for barbecue lovers and grillmasters alike, the timelessness and simplicity of our recipes means they’re easy to prepare on your own. Today, we’re serving up our top tips and secret recipes (shhhh!) to help you bring the flavors of Santa Maria style barbecue to your grill back home. Just don’t blame us when your neighbors come knocking for a plate or two. Enjoy the recipes below or checkout the Official Santa Maria Style Cookbook. It starts with the right seasonings and the best barbecue products. Before you dive fork-deep into our recipes, make sure you’re starting out with the best products and seasonings—the simplicity of Santa Maria Style makes the ingredients you use all the more important. We recommend getting your products from Susie Q’s. Founded by Santa Maria local Susan Righetti, Susie Q’s offers the pinquito beans, Santa Maria Style seasonings, and red oak chips you’ll need to ensure your barbecue is authentic. What are we cooking? Today, we’re whipping up the classic Santa Maria Style barbecue plate. This includes: Authentic Santa Maria Tri-Tip Santa Maria Style Pinquito Beans Tangy Santa Maria Salsa Simple Santa Maria Green Salsa Pro Tips Before You Begin: The pinquito beans need to soak overnight, so start those the night prior. The salsa needs to sit for at least one hour to develop its full flavor, so make it the morning of your barbecue, or 1-2 hours before you start on your meat. Red oak chips are the key to getting that distinct Santa Maria flavor in your meat. Be sure to use them, or your tri-tip won’t taste authentic. For a truly authentic Santa Maria Style barbecue meal, serve this all up with a fresh strawberry dessert (our Valley is famous for ‘em) and a good glass of red wine. Santa Maria Style Barbecue Recipes: Authentic Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Recipe Santa Maria Style Pinquito Beans Recipe Tangy Santa Maria Salsa Recipe Simple Santa Maria Green Salad Want even more tasty tips? You can find the recipes for a complete Santa Maria Style feast – including our famous tri-tip rub, garlic bread, and all the barbecue fixings in the Santa Maria Valley Cookbook. *** In Santa Maria Valley, there’s so much to do from here. Hit the road and explore it all with our 24 hiking trails, 34 tasting rooms, seven unique AVAs, 13 beaches, and a growing selection of local breweries, all within a beautiful 30-minute drive. There is no need to venture far if you are looking for sand dunes, cycling and authentic Santa Maria Style dining. You’ll find it’s the perfect home base, where you can eat, drink and do more for less.
Guiton Trail Oceano Lagoon Guiton Trail Oceano Lagoon is an easy, 1.3-mile loop trail also located near Pismo State Beach in Oceano. This trail offers hikers the chance to see wildlife and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and birding and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail […]
Oceano Do the Dunes Oceano sits just 18 miles from Santa Maria and offers fantastic opportunities for off-roading on the famed Oceano Dunes. The Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) is part of a geographically unique dunes complex that creates a perfect location for off-highway enthusiasts, attracting riders from throughout the United States. With more […]
Maya Mexican Restaurant “Never a Trend, Always a Tradition” Been open for over 50 years and love what we do! We love the food we make and the joy of sharing it with our local community.
Nipomo Park Trail The Nipomo Park trail is an easy, 1.9-mile trail located in Nipomo Regional Park, which features many short hiking trails. This trail is a loop and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers beautiful views of wild flowers is close to other amenities. Leashed dogs are also welcome on the trail.
October 23 Elks Rodeo: Haunted Hills Drive Thru Experience Elks Recreation, Inc., in collaboration with the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, are excited to bring a new experience to the Central Coast! Don’t miss your chance to feel the real scare of 2020! With fear inducing scenes, creepy sounds, and scary interactions, the Cowboys of Rodeos past and restless equipment come […]
October 24 U-Pick Blueberries: Halloween Celebration Save the DATE! October 24! You will want to be out at U-Pick Blueberries with your little pumpkins! Come dressed in your favorite costume, pick a pumpkin, & have your family pics taken by Julie Face Photography for $15/Family! Come HUNGRY as U-Pick Blueberries will have Crave Mini Donuts 10 am – 2 pm out […]
October 24 Elks Rodeo: Haunted Hills Drive Thru Experience Elks Recreation, Inc., in collaboration with the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, are excited to bring a new experience to the Central Coast! Don’t miss your chance to feel the real scare of 2020! With fear inducing scenes, creepy sounds, and scary interactions, the Cowboys of Rodeos past and restless equipment come […]
October 25 Santa Maria Civic Theatre: Drive-Up Theatre - Spooktacular Get your spook on at SMCT’s Spooktacular! SMCT’s Drive-Up theatre is BACK! and by popular demand! If you missed our August Drive-Up Theatre you are in luck! October’s “Driver Up Theatre” features Music, Dance, Comedy, and Spooky Scenes. This event is a benefit dedicated toward improvements to our building. Due to COVID-19 keeping our theatre […]